When it comes to gaming peripherals, few names carry the same weight as HyperX. Known for their commitment to quality and performance, HyperX has consistently delivered top-notch products for gamers worldwide. In the past I’ve been a huge fan, my first streaming set up used the Quadcast which I loved. Building on the success of its predecessors, the Hyper X Cloud III wireless aims to provide an immersive audio experience, superior comfort, and robust durability. But does it live up to the high expectations set by its lineage? Let’s find out.
Coming in at £119 (Currently on sale at the time of writing) this is a great affordable headset for using on the PS5, Nintendo Switch or PC. The headset comes in all black or black and red and both options look great. Setting the headset up couldn’t be easier. On the PS5 its as simple as plugging in the dongle that is supplied and turn the headset on. It isn’t much more complicated on the PC. The dongle is USB-C but has a USB-A adapter to which is excellent. You also find a USB-C charging cable and a detachable microphone too. All of the controls can be found on either cup, ion one side you have the power and mute buttons with a volume control on the other, both are in easy reach and you won’t find yourself making accidental button presses during gaming.
The Cloud III wireless has a premium feel about it. The red aluminium frame feels strong and while the plastic around the ear cups feels really sturdy. For you comfort there is “HyperX signature memory foam” in the headband and ear cushions wrapped in soft, leatherette which all make up for a very comfortable headset It weighs in at 342g with the microphone so you barely notice its on.
We’ve been testing the headset over the past month primarily on the Playstation 5. The most impressive feature we found was the incredible battery life of 120 hours, which basically meant I’ve only had to charge it once, very impressive. Of course what you really want to know is how it sounds.
I’ve played all sorts of game from the new season of Fortnite, to the absolutely incredible Dave the Diver, plus all sorts in between. The angled 53mm drivers inside each cup produced excellent Spatial Audio that make for really immersive environments. When playing various Battle Royales like Warzone, Fortnite and Apex Legends I could pick out exactly where enemies were coming from as I was hiding for life in a bush or an outpost building hoping I would be noticed. Gun fire, especially in Warzone sounded more real than ever and definitely made things more intense.
The roar of the new engines in F1 24 were impressive too and again you were quickly immersed into a world were lightning quick reactions were needed as well clear audio to hear instructions from you pit crew. The new Euro 2024 update in EA FC meant I could not only hear player reactions but the incredible chants from the incredible fans attending the matches,
Even in calmer titles like Dave the Diver, the underwater sections while you fishing and hunting for treasures were served really well by the headset. Comfort levels were excellent too, even after a four hour session it didn’t really feel like I was wearing a headset, which isn’t often the case.
I often party up with my friends to play Helldivers II where communication is really important and thankfully the impressive microphone helps me do that, to a point. It’s clear Hyper X has gone to great lengths to ensure voice chat is clear using the microphone, which it is. My voice is well isolated and my team mates can hear me clearly. A lot of headset still struggle with this so it’s a big tick in the box for this headset. However I find it really disappointing that there is no mixer option between voice and game on the headset which means I have to use the system UI to get the balance I want which can change often. The mute button is in a great place as I often have to cut comms when I’m gaming in the evenings.
Also I have the classic IKEA desk setup to store my gaming accessories away and this headset only just fits in the slimmer drawers, the ear cups are rigid but if I could twist them it would be much better, I also like to be able to rest the headset on my shoulders every now and then and it’s not something I’m able to do with the Cloud III.
Going back to positives, despite me having all sorts of electrical equipment on my desk I’ve not lost connection or had any sort of interruptions during my review period. Even my AirPod Pro 2’s drop every now and then.
Overall I'm really impressed with this headset, the build quality is excellent it sounds great and is simple to set up across different systems. There are more expensive headsets on the market that don't do half as good a job as these do, so if you are on a budget these are a great buy.
